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Ron DeSantis may have just made a powerful enemy

By: The Horn editorial team

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has received national attention throughout the pandemic for his fights with the media — including favorable attention from former President Donald Trump.

But that may have just changed.

DeSantis’ feud with Trump started in December.

Last month, Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo asked DeSantis whether he received his booster dose.

DeSantis said he had “done whatever I did, the normal shot.”

He faced criticism for sidestepping the question… including criticism from Trump.

“You got to say it,” Trump told One America News this Wednesday.

“Whether or not you had it, say it.”

Trump has been touting the vaccine as one of his administrations great successes. Trump, 75, said that he was fully vaccinated and that he’d received a booster shot.

He told OAN:

I’ve had the booster.

Many politicians — I watched a couple of politicians be interviewed and one of the questions was, “Did you get the booster?” Because they had the vaccine.

And they’re answering like, in other words — The answer is yes, but they don’t want to say it. Because they’re gutless.

Trump didn’t mention DeSantis by name, but DeSantis matches that description.

In any case, Trump’s remark was widely reported as an oblique swipe at the Florida governor. CNN ran a headline called, “Trump takes thinly veiled shot at ‘gutless’ DeSantis.”

On Friday, the governor hit back.

DeSantis expressed regret remining silent on Trump’s pandemic restrictions.

“Knowing now what I know, then if if that was a threat earlier, I would have been much louder,” DeSantis said on a podcast reviewed by CNN.

After that remark, DeSantis faced criticism for his record on pandemic restrictions.

In March 2020, DeSantis ordered non-essential businesses to close, while Trump was suggesting these restrictions only in hard-hit states, like New York.

One Twitter user pointed this out. Take a look —

Prior to this feud, DeSantis seemed a contender for the 2024 presidential race… and a possible successor to Trump.

The Florida governor was performing in several polls about 2024’s Republican primaries.

Yet, DeSantis has given the former president too little credit for the vaccine, and so he may have damaged his reputation among Republicans.

In any case, Trump may be looking for a new successor, whether the successor is rapidly ascending legislator like Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., or a fundraising machine like Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-N.C.

READ MORE: Donald Trump names a successor.

Here’s a hint; It’s not DeSantis…

The Horn editorial team